TOMATIS TRAINING CENTRE
0043-676-9627426 0043- 670-5562570 1210 Wien, Weisselgasse
The Tomatis® Method, a pedagogy of listening
Our brain has the ability to ignore irrelevant sounds and only focus on relevant ones. While this may seem very simple, it is a highly sophisticated cognitive function that includes the ability to control one's emotions. It is said that the ability to listen is impaired when one cannot correctly analyze the sensory message that the ear receives. This is the case, for example, when you cannot really focus on the voice of someone who is speaking to you, even though you can hear them well. This malfunction can have both physiological and psychological causes.
When your hearing is impaired, your brain ignores the acoustic information received by your ear. Therefore, his attention must be attracted again and again. The sensitivity of the brain to sudden acoustic changes is used for this purpose. In the course of the TOMATIS therapy, music with sudden contrasts in timbre and intensity is used. These changes are completely unpredictable. This gently and painlessly creates a surprise effect for the brain, which in an unconscious reaction pays attention to this contrast. As a result of these repetitive, unpredictable acoustic contrast effects, the brain is gradually educated to prepare itself to listen. In addition, these contrasts are intended to promote the absorption of high-pitched sounds. Because these high-frequency tones activate the majority of the auditory sensory cells. They have a strong stimulating effect on our brain.
How the brain reacts
Findings from neurophysiology show that the parts of the brain that are used a lot have a better developed structure of nerve cells and connections (synapses). They are more efficient, transport more and faster information and evaluate it. Conversely, the structures of the brain areas that are used less and less recede. This means that the intensive occupation and dealing with a thing - i.e. learning - has an impact on the responsible part of the brain. When learning (this does not mean simply memorizing, but really dealing with something), new nerve cell connections (synapses) are created and existing ones are expanded. The brain builds up or down its structures depending on the stress.This is called the plasticity of the brain.